For about the past 9 years i have been having headaches with an "Aura",I had always presumed they were migraines but my sister who has terrible migraines says migraines are throbbing,not sharp..?

Usually mine start when i get a blank spot in my vision,then it goes all zig zag and half circle and gradually expands and goes out of my vision,this generally happens over about 20 mins,then i start to get a a headache,its NEVER throbbing,mainly its on my eyebrow but i also have them sometimes down the side of my face,the pain is always a sharp constant pain or a dull ache,sometimes light will bother me,sometimes i will feel sick.

I ahve had my eyes checked and i do have a slight astigmatism but dont think that would affect this but unsure?

Anyways does anyone know if what i am describing is amigraine,or another type of headache and aura?

Not sure as there is another condition that causes extreme pain down the side of the face. Both Migraines and the face pain cause a great deal of pain lasting several days as well as other symptoms... you can barely function. Let your doctor sort it all out for you so you are medicated properly.

Hello,
Just to let you know, all headaches are MIGRAINES! And you don't have to have head pain to have a migraine. There are many different symptoms that are associated with migraines. Please read my post I think it will help you!

First I must comment on the statement 'all headaces are migraines.' Then I will address the question, "Is this a migraine?"

Ok...all headaches are NOT migraines. All migraines are usually headaches but one can have a migraine w/ no pain-hence no 'head-ache' (no ache in the head.) I'm 30 and I have had migraines since I was 7. I also have tension headaches, menstrual headaches and cluster headaches. I vomit almost daily-NOT ON PURPOSE! and have been told I have the worst case of migraines doctors have ever encountered. (and yeah...I've had MRIs, CTs w/ and w/o contrast, EEGs, EKGs, etc.) There are a myriad of types of headaches but please!...all headaches are not migraines. Migraines are genetic-usually skipping a generation. Simple headaches are annoying and are not accompanied by vomitting, auras, feeling dizzy, photophobia, phonophobia, extreme sensitivity to odors or touch, etc. I don't have to go to the ER for a headache and I wasn't admitted to the hospital four times last year for a headache. I have to go for a migraine. There's a very slight chance of migraine-induced stroke if you don't get treatment. It's such a slim chance but my doc at the time thought it wise to put me on a Demerol drip, saline drip, antiemetics, etc. and that's why I was admitted.

RE: Is this a migraine?
Hi!
I'm so sorry you are experiencing these symptoms.
What doctors have you seen? It sounds to me as if you are experiencing migraines. I have astigmatism as well, however, my eye doc says it is not related. Eye strain can certainly trigger a migraine but if you are experiencing auras, feeling dizzy, pain, etc. you should see a doc. Have you tried writing down when you get these symptoms, what you ate that day, level of stress, etc.? (Migraine diaries can be helpful but you have to be really thorough and write down everything everyday even if you don't have a migraine...at least for a month or two. It's a pain-pun not intended.) There are so many triggers and although a 'migraine diary' never proved helpful to me it did give me some insight to a myriad of triggers. 'That time of month' many foods, sunlight, heat, stress, grinding my teeth, etc. are all triggers for me. There is a list of foods you should avoid and you may want to consider wearing a bite plate/mouth guard at night as simple grinding or TMJ can be a trigger. You would have to see your dentist for that and it costs a lot-if it works though it is priceless. Also if you are on birth control that can trigger a migraine but continuous hormones can be helpful-they do not prevent pregnancy though-you would have to see an endocrinologist for continuous hormones. The sudden drop in estrogen when you take the 'dummy' pill on birth control can be very bad for a migraineur. Seeing an alergist may uncover something too. Neurologists usually want to put a migraineur on prophylactic meds such as anti-epileptics, anti-depressants (both the tricylics and SSRIs-even SNRIs) as well as a myriad of other meds. Have you tried triptans? (like Maxalt, Zomig, Imitrex?..there are others too.) They are serotonin receptor agonists-they constrict blood vessels and can relieve pain associated w/ dilation of blood vessels due to a migraine. Triptans unfortunately do not help everyone, they have never helped me-nothing has actually. Also you could try a beta-blocker like inderal or a Ca channel blocker like verapamil. Both of the former are used mainly for hypertension but have been effective for the prophylaxis of migraines. However they can make you feel a bit dizzy when you stand up. Antiemetics can also be helpful-especially if you have nausea or vomiting associated w/ migraines. Topamax (an ant-epileptic) was useless to me ..and trust me I've tried it all but helps many people. I really hesitate suggesting Norco (hydrocodone and acetaminophen=Tylenol) b/c it's so addictive...it's a narcotic but it can work. Just beware of 'rebound headaches.' Also I hesitate suggesting Fiorinal (butalbital, aspirin and caffeine.) If you can't take aspirin you can take Fioricet-same but it has Tylenol instead of aspirin. Also VERY addictive. Butalbital is a barbituate. It's one of the rather mild barbituates but it's very addictive. Benzodiazepines can be hepful but also very addictive! (ex: Xanax,Valium, etc.) My suggestion is to get checked by a doctor however trusting them implicitly can lead to trouble. See a few and if prophylactics, triptans, etc. don't help and you do take meds to treat acute attacks beware of their addictive nature and always be sure to keep in contact w/ your doctor.
I HOPE THIS HELPS! IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME.
Kristina
:-)

Hello,
Just to let you know, all headaches are MIGRAINES! And you don't have to have head pain to have a migraine. There are many different symptoms that are associated with migraines. Please read my post I think it will help you!

This is not correct. Headaches are a shrinkage of blood vessels whereas migraines are a dilation of blood vessels. As a migraineur, I am insulted that you would even compare the two! I have had headaches and would prefer to have headaches every single day of my life if I never had another migraine!

Headaches are a form of migraine according to David Buchholz M.D. All headaches arise from a single mechanism - the mechanism of migraine - which generates painful blood vessel swelling when activated by specific triggers. I have been a sufferer of headaches and migraine since I was a teen. I must tell you, out of all the doctors I have seen over the years, they just don't know much about migraines other than common symptoms like, head pain, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, aura etc. When it comes down to it, all they do is push drugs on you which I refused for many years. I have been suffering from chronic 24/7 vertigo with no relief from any doctor in the last year. I must have been to the hospital over 100 X’s in this last year, hoping that finally I would come across one doctor that might know what the hell was going on with me. No one could help me! No one! Imagine living in a world where your mind was always spinning out of control, can’t barely walk, no energy to talk, nothing at all. Finally, I came across a second ENT doctor that told me it sounds like it might have something to do with your history of headaches and migraines. She put in a referral to an outside neurologist. That’s when I started doing my research about headaches/migraines/complicated migraines. I read David Buchholz M.D. book “how to heal a headache” and it was extremely informative and helpful. A few weeks later I finally got my referral to a neurologist named Dr. Robert Baloh. He has seen hundreds of people like me and finally gave me a diagnosis. I now have MAV: migraine associated vertigo. My regular headaches/migraines changed to vertigo. Why exactly, doctors don’t know? That’s why they are still doing research because there are so many different variables of migraines, which one day they hope to put them all in their own category. The doctor goes on to explain…..
I did not have painful migraines with my vertigo symptoms every day. I had "almost" daily headaches associated with vertigo. A couple times a month I had the very painful “typical” migraine symptoms that most people are familiar with.
There are a few specialized doctors (top neurologists etc.) in the nation that have spent their entire career researching and working with patients with balance disorders and migraine, that help us to better understand our illness. Some of these doctors are Dr. David Buchholz (John Hopkins University), Dr. Robert Baloh (Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center), Dr. Steven Rauch (Harvard Medical School), and Dr. Timothy C. Hain (Northwestern University Medical School). If you want real answers to your questions and concerns, you should research information about their research, contact one of these doctors, or be seen by one if needed.

Also, if you read my original post you would have had a better understanding of where I was coming from before you commented so rudely; PUNKYCAT.

I agree that this can definitely be a migraine. The more I have read about others' experiences with migraines, the more I see how diverse they are and that they can vary GREATLY person to person.

I know an individual who often goes to the ER for their migraines, although they are not in extreme pain! I think she simply goes because the migraine will NOT go away until she gets the treatment there. I guess she hasn't had any luck with any other medication. Even with a migraine that isn't too bad, of course you would not want it to keep on lasting forever! A few people I know went for one because it was highly unusual for them and they had never had a migraine before and wanted to make sure it wasn't caused by something life-threatening.

Some people have quite a bit of pounding head pain, and others might not. This is the worst part of it for me, the head pains along with the nausea together. With both, it seems to make it feel a lot worse to myself. Some people get aura, and some do not. Some people feel pain in others that not everyone else does. I agree that astigmatism and eye troubles can certain be a trigger of migraines.

Like others have suggested, if you haven't already, I would start to try to keep track of these feelings, when you get them, any patterns you notice, etc. When I first did this, I realized how sensitive I was to not wearing sunglasses (now I must wear them), how not drinking enough water was doing it, and chocolate too. I had to work on these things , as well as other things I Noticed, and elimated them as much as possible. Of course I can't do everything perfectly, but every bit helps. I still get migraines yes, but I get significantly less of them. Any improvement is better than none at all

I hope you are able to help find a way to get rid of or lessen these symptoms! No matter what form it comes in, migraines are very difficult to live with!

First I must comment on the statement 'all headaces are migraines.' Then I will address the question, "Is this a migraine?"

Ok...all headaches are NOT migraines. All migraines are usually headaches but one can have a migraine w/ no pain-hence no 'head-ache' (no ache in the head.) I'm 30 and I have had migraines since I was 7. I also have tension headaches, menstrual headaches and cluster headaches. I vomit almost daily-NOT ON PURPOSE! and have been told I have the worst case of migraines doctors have ever encountered. (and yeah...I've had MRIs, CTs w/ and w/o contrast, EEGs, EKGs, etc.) There are a myriad of types of headaches but please!...all headaches are not migraines. Migraines are genetic-usually skipping a generation. Simple headaches are annoying and are not accompanied by vomitting, auras, feeling dizzy, photophobia, phonophobia, extreme sensitivity to odors or touch, etc. I don't have to go to the ER for a headache and I wasn't admitted to the hospital four times last year for a headache. I have to go for a migraine. There's a very slight chance of migraine-induced stroke if you don't get treatment. It's such a slim chance but my doc at the time thought it wise to put me on a Demerol drip, saline drip, antiemetics, etc. and that's why I was admitted.

RE: Is this a migraine?
Hi!
I'm so sorry you are experiencing these symptoms.
What doctors have you seen? It sounds to me as if you are experiencing migraines. I have astigmatism as well, however, my eye doc says it is not related. Eye strain can certainly trigger a migraine but if you are experiencing auras, feeling dizzy, pain, etc. you should see a doc. Have you tried writing down when you get these symptoms, what you ate that day, level of stress, etc.? (Migraine diaries can be helpful but you have to be really thorough and write down everything everyday even if you don't have a migraine...at least for a month or two. It's a pain-pun not intended.) There are so many triggers and although a 'migraine diary' never proved helpful to me it did give me some insight to a myriad of triggers. 'That time of month' many foods, sunlight, heat, stress, grinding my teeth, etc. are all triggers for me. There is a list of foods you should avoid and you may want to consider wearing a bite plate/mouth guard at night as simple grinding or TMJ can be a trigger. You would have to see your dentist for that and it costs a lot-if it works though it is priceless. Also if you are on birth control that can trigger a migraine but continuous hormones can be helpful-they do not prevent pregnancy though-you would have to see an endocrinologist for continuous hormones. The sudden drop in estrogen when you take the 'dummy' pill on birth control can be very bad for a migraineur. Seeing an alergist may uncover something too. Neurologists usually want to put a migraineur on prophylactic meds such as anti-epileptics, anti-depressants (both the tricylics and SSRIs-even SNRIs) as well as a myriad of other meds. Have you tried triptans? (like Maxalt, Zomig, Imitrex?..there are others too.) They are serotonin receptor agonists-they constrict blood vessels and can relieve pain associated w/ dilation of blood vessels due to a migraine. Triptans unfortunately do not help everyone, they have never helped me-nothing has actually. Also you could try a beta-blocker like inderal or a Ca channel blocker like verapamil. Both of the former are used mainly for hypertension but have been effective for the prophylaxis of migraines. However they can make you feel a bit dizzy when you stand up. Antiemetics can also be helpful-especially if you have nausea or vomiting associated w/ migraines. Topamax (an ant-epileptic) was useless to me ..and trust me I've tried it all but helps many people. I really hesitate suggesting Norco (hydrocodone and acetaminophen=Tylenol) b/c it's so addictive...it's a narcotic but it can work. Just beware of 'rebound headaches.' Also I hesitate suggesting Fiorinal (butalbital, aspirin and caffeine.) If you can't take aspirin you can take Fioricet-same but it has Tylenol instead of aspirin. Also VERY addictive. Butalbital is a barbituate. It's one of the rather mild barbituates but it's very addictive. Benzodiazepines can be hepful but also very addictive! (ex: Xanax,Valium, etc.) My suggestion is to get checked by a doctor however trusting them implicitly can lead to trouble. See a few and if prophylactics, triptans, etc. don't help and you do take meds to treat acute attacks beware of their addictive nature and always be sure to keep in contact w/ your doctor.
I HOPE THIS HELPS! IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME.
Kristina
:-)

I have to agree with you Kristina that Valium IS quite helpful! I was once unable to take any medication prior to getting surgery, and sure enough, a migraine came on. The hospital was able to give me medicine for the pain through an IV, but within an hour, I still felt very bad. Once I was given Valium, the pain was completely gone. Of course I felt pretty loopy and don't remember everything, but it worked to get rid of that pain. I take Xanax occasionally for anxiety, and I have taken it when I had a migraine and it does help. I find it works best for those caused by stress. I can't help but tense up when a migraine hits, and it's one thing that helps me relax and hopefully be able to fall asleep. I can't sleep with a migraine or it just wakes me up from the pain, but my goal is to get it calmed down enough to sleep. It helps once I am able to! I wonder if these medications would help with those who don't get extreme pain from their migraines. And yes, you definitely have to be careful since they are addictive. I only take the medication seldomly. I get a limited amount at a time, so I am sure to not use it too quickly or I will be out.